When Ivan's Jewish parents smuggle him out of Germany during World War II, they leave him a letter with two pieces of advice: work hard, and be wary of those offering help. Taking this counsel to heart, Ivan studies diligently and becomes an internationally recognized neuroscientist. He marries and has a son, but his intrinsic distrust of others pushes his family away.

When the US government offers him a top-secret assignment working with German and Russian scientists in Iran to develop a new weaponized drug-along with a significant pay raise-Ivan jumps at the opportunity. Soon, however, his suspicious nature forces him to question the work's real purpose. He discovers the German-Russian team are creating a weapon of mass destruction, and his suspicions are confirmed: the CIA didn't plant him as a scientist but as a spy.

Meanwhile, Ivan's son, Michael, has become a member of a US Special Operations team. Michael hasn't spoken to his estranged father in years, and he never expects them to meet again. When they do, the circumstances will demand that they rediscover their ability to trust in each other. Their lives may depend on it.